Melee Weapons

Melee Weapons are a new weapon class in Mass Effect: Andromeda.

Overview

Melee weapons are wielded in close-quarters combat. Typically, they are most effective against unarmored and unshielded foes.

• Previous Mass Effect games were limited in what was allowed to be used in a melee fashion as a weapon such as the Omni-blade or using physical actions (such as punching or swinging their weapon) to melee kill enemies. Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer Mode increased the number of melee weapons and actions but these weapons and actions were character specific / single functioning (they could not be customized).

• Mass Effect: Andromeda allows the option to use the highly customizable nature of firearms in the Mass Effect franchise and applies it to melee weapons.

• Melee weapons include sharp weapons such as swords, shivs, knives as well as blunt force weapons include hammers, gauntlets, and the biotic amplifier.
  • Hammers do maximum damage.
  • Swords, shivs, and knives are quicker and more precise, allowing quick striking and still having a chance to move out of harm's way.
  • The Cryo-Gauntlet allows freezing enemies.
  • The Biotic Amplifier allows using fists as a weapon.

Weapon Models

Angaran Firaan

• Rarity: Uncommon
• Tech Type: Heleus
• Damage: 250-550
• Weight: 0

Asari Sword

• Rarity: Ultra Rare
• Tech Type: Milky Way
• Damage: 400-880
• Weight: 0

Biotic Amplifier

• Rarity: Uncommon
• Tech Type: Milky Way
• Damage: 275-605
• Weight: 0

Electric Firaan

• Rarity: Rare
• Tech Type: Heleus
• Damage: 175-385
• Weight: 0

Kett Carfalon

• Rarity: Rare
• Tech Type: Heleus
• Damage: 325-715
• Weight: 0

Kett Vakarsh

• Rarity: Ultra Rare
• Tech Type: Heleus
• Damage: 300-660 Melee Damage, 110-242 Burn Damage
• Weight: 0

Krogan Hammer

• Rarity: Rare
• Tech Type: Milky Way
• Damage: 400-880
• Weight: 0

Omni-Blade

• Rarity: Common
• Tech Type: Milky Way
• Damage: 275-605
• Weight: 0

Remnant Cryo-Gauntlet

• Rarity: Ultra Rare
• Tech Type: Remnant
• Damage: 200-440
• Weight: 0

Melee Weapons Customization

Melee weapons can only be customized by one method in Mass Effect: Andromeda.

Weapon Modifications

Main article: Mods

All melee weapons have zero mod slots and are unable to use weapon Mods.

Weapon Augmentations

Main article: Augmentations

Augmentations are semi-permanent customizations to crafted weapons or armor in Mass Effect: Andromeda. When a weapon is created during Development (crafting), hexagonal-shaped sockets are available to add Augmentations to the weapon. These augmentations cannot be changed like weapon Mods and stay part of that weapon until it is deconstructed.

Weapon Buff Mechanics

The customization of a weapon in Mass Effect: Andromeda can change stats of Pathfinder Ryder's other weapons. This is known as a buff. There are active and passive buffs based upon the weapon type.

Active Buffs

Active Buffs change weapon stats when a weapon is currently equipped. All gun-type weapons use active buffs. Active buffs change weapon stats for all weapons and are in place as long as Pathfinder Ryder has the weapon equipped. If Ryder changes to a different weapon, the buffs from the new weapon will now be in effect.

Active buffs are a moot point for other weapons. Unequipped weapon stats will be changed by an active buff but if Pathfinder Ryder changes weapons to use another weapon, the new weapon buffs are now in place.

Passive Buffs

Passive Buffs change weapon stats no matter which weapon is currently equipped. All melee weapons use passive buffs. Passive buffs change weapon stats and are in place no matter which weapon Pathfinder Ryder has equipped.

Passive buffs are a completely different story. If Pathfinder Ryder isn't currently using the melee weapon with passive buffs, the passive buffs are still in place. All weapons Pathfinder Ryder current has in the Loadout are affected by passive buffs.

Buff Strategies

Depending upon playstyle, Pathfinder Ryder can have a melee weapon customized with Augmentations that buff all weapons but the melee weapon never actually has to be used during combat. As an added bonus, all melee weapons have no weight and therefore won't impact Recharge Speed.

For example:

• using an Asari Sword which has four augmentation slots
• with the Innovation Cryo Pod Perk which grants one additional augmentation slot
• and applying five Kinetic Coil augmentations which grant +3% Weapon Damage each, +15% Weapon Damage total
• will change any weapon that Pathfinder Ryder has in the current Loadout to have the +15% Weapon Damage passive buff in place.